Suppressors - do they make sense? If they do, then when?

[OutAtTheEdge]

I haven't shot on either an indoor or public range in decades. Practically all my shooting is done on my home range or adjacent acreage.

The "official" excu- I mean reason - to buy a suppressor, was to keep mounted on my primary "middle of the night uninvited guests with evil intentions" gun, as seen below. If called upon for this duty, I'd prefer to retain some of my limited remaining hearing in the aftermath. As far as excu- I mean reasons - go, that's a pretty (muted) sound one.

Mostly I got it for the fun factor, and my bride is absolutely looking forward to deer hunting this year with the can screwed onto the end of her pet .300 Blackout.

 

[Onomea]

Law-dog, re your comment, "I became a CCW instructor in 1996, the suppressor and laser are the 2 most important tools for teaching people to shoot very well, it gets the new ones going, and it provides for veteran shooters to improve their very best shooting, it is that simple," why does shooting a suppressed handgun improve a veteran shooter's very best shooting?

I bought a suppressed Ruger MKIV a couple of months ago and enjoy it. I find it fun to shoot. (My brother asked me why I bought it, to what purpose. My response: "Entertainment." It's fun to shoot.

Did not occur to me that it would improve my shooting though.

 

[Bald1]

I have ranges on three different properties I own. And I still wouldn’t spend a dime on a suppressor. My son has several. He likes them. I think it’s a novelty

 

[duke2002]

If they cone down in price and the law changes i would buy one. Rite now would rather buy a other gun then a suppressor.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

An exceedingly addictive toy. Useful to preserve hearing, and it is fun to tell everyone around you they can remove their ear protection.

Uses noted above, for varmints, etc., are every city-prohibited uses but that's a totally separate subject.

 

[SFury79]

If more shooters start using suppressors, the number of complaints should decline

From what I've seen firsthand with a local club I was a member of for many years, before the idiots basically got the outdoor range shutdown, was starkly different.

What has been happening, despite a law in Wisconsin preventing local established gun clubs from being sued or needing to meet new noise ordinances has been one of greed. I'll get back to that after explaining state law.

Anyone looking to purchase a property within a certain distance of established shooting clubs are notified, in writing, of that law and protection for the club. That's done when discussing the purchase of property and has to be made known before any closing paperwork. Otherwise, the realtor can be sued. Which makes all local realtors very clear on such disclosures.

I say greedy people, because I know some of them. They are the type of people to purchase property somewhere at a cheaper price because of certain conditions (not just limited to proximity of a gun club), and work to make those conditions go away to increase the value of their property.

My former club has had numerous lawsuits tossed out against them because of the state law protecting them. It's disgusting to watch people to do such things.

 

[ladder13]

I cant imagine why people pay for a lot of things, many harmful to their health.

 

[tlawler]

Law-dog, re your comment, "I became a CCW instructor in 1996, the suppressor and laser are the 2 most important tools for teaching people to shoot very well, it gets the new ones going, and it provides for veteran shooters to improve their very best shooting, it is that simple," why does shooting a suppressed handgun improve a veteran shooter's very best shooting?

I bought a suppressed Ruger MKIV a couple of months ago and enjoy it. I find it fun to shoot. (My brother asked me why I bought it, to what purpose. My response: "Entertainment." It's fun to shoot.

Did not occur to me that it would improve my shooting though.

I’d have to say I get a lot more practice in because of my .22 can. With my little garage range setup, I run a few mags through just about every evening after work and a bunch on weekends. The problem is, despite the low cost of .22, it does get relatively expensive due to the volume I shoot. Most of my .22 LR stash I paid 3 or 4 cents a round for, but I’m burning through it pretty fast. When I have to go out and buy it at the prevailing rate, that’s going to hurt some.

 

[Onomea]

Tlawler, I saw a post of yours earlier wherein you discussed the target/backstop you were using, and how your initial purchase off Amazon was too flimsy.

What did you settle on for a target/backstop? (I shoot a noisy pellet pistol in my garage occasionally, and find the suppressed .22 idea intriguing... Although corralling all that spent .22 brass sounds like a fair amount of work...)

 

[Neumann]

A typical suppressor will achieve a 30 dB or less reduction in sound for a subsonic load. That leaves 100 dB or more sound pressure to entertain the neighbors. The sonic boom (crack) from a supersonic round may exceed the sound level at the muzzle. Truly silent firearms are designed from the bottom up, with a locked breech and drilled barrel, inside baffles the full length of the barrel, and subsonic ammunition.

 

[tlawler]

Tlawler, I saw a post of yours earlier wherein you discussed the target/backstop you were using, and how your initial purchase off Amazon was too flimsy.

What did you settle on for a target/backstop? (I shoot a noisy pellet pistol in my garage occasionally, and find the suppressed .22 idea intriguing... Although corralling all that spent .22 brass sounds like a fair amount of work...)

This is the first one I got. I should have known not to go cheap. It was $54 I think.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07MH44YS5?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

This is the one that I settled on. A bit more expensive than the first at $189, but it’s held up well.

Amazon.com : Bullet Trap 12" x 12", 1" Ballistic Rubber Face, Enclosed to Reduce Lead Dust, for .22, 38 Special, 40, 9 mm .45, 357 Caliber : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Bullet Trap 12" x 12", 1" Ballistic Rubber Face, Enclosed to Reduce Lead Dust, for .22, 38 Special, 40, 9 mm .45, 357 Caliber : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

I draped a sheet from some shelving to a ladder I set up. Puts all the brass right at my feet for easy sweep up. The last three pictures are the “el Cheapo” trap after a couple thousand rounds. It wasn’t sealed, and I had lead dust coming out of the seams.

 

[glenwolde]

They're great when they are on the guy in the next booth's AR.

 

[tlawler]

A typical suppressor will achieve a 30 dB or less reduction in sound for a subsonic load. That leaves 100 dB or more sound pressure to entertain the neighbors. The sonic boom (crack) from a supersonic round may exceed the sound level at the muzzle. Truly silent firearms are designed from the bottom up, with a locked breech and drilled barrel, inside baffles the full length of the barrel, and subsonic ammunition.

The FN 522 I shoot has a 4.6” barrel, so about 4” effective length and keeps even HV .22 LR subsonic (I checked everything I shoot with my Garmin chrony). Also I have empty lots on either side of my house, so there is a little buffer between myself and the neighbors. I insulated the garage door, and that helps out some too. Standing out in the driveway, it sounds like someone hammering a nail into a board inside the garage.

 

[v8svo]

I have 12 cans, a can on a 22 semi auto is the most fun. Great way to introduce someone to shooting. I do have my own 100 yard range at home and my neighbors appreciate the quieter shooting. I have a can on a 300Blk 8.5" AR that folds, it is my discrete carry gun for Church. The case also has some flex cuffs, trauma kits, extra magazines and a 45 ACP pistol. My motto, he who prepares for disaster seldom faces it.
I also have cans for hunting firearms from vermin to whitetail deer. Subsonic reloads are fun to work up, I enjoy the challenge of having a functional subsonic load in a semiauto. Deer hunting at my house rarely is more than a 100 yard shot, lots of trees and brush the suppressed 458 SOCOM for me is the perfect answer, 300 grain bullet at about 1000 fps, the 45 ACP works as well out to about 75 yards for me.

 

[flundertaker]

Revolvers are one thing but shooting a rifle without a suppressor is uncivilized.

 

[john17427]

I have two situations where I'd like to have a suppressor, and like someone earlier said, not lose anymore hearing than I already have. The first situation is hunting. I suppose I could get some expensive ear protection that might achieve something similar, but with the way my hearing is going, having anything stuck in them is a handicap. The second situation is home and surrounding area defense. Where I live I'm not much concerned about two legged folks. It's really about the four legged ones. I frequently have to walk the dog at night and this dog is the ultimate scooby snack for a coyote or feral dog. I'm getting too old to wrestle wild animals so a quieter firearm would really have a lot of utility for me in my opinion.

 

[Triggernosis]

I have one on my carbine AR15 that I carry when I'm out at my deer lease in case I get an opportunity at a coyote or nutria. There will be no time to put on hearing protection and the suppressor should at least keep my ears from ringing 3 days straight afterwards.

 

[Mike0251]

Backyard fun that's what we use them for (MPX 9mm shown). So nice not to have ears on.

 

[Rodan]

Revolvers are one thing but shooting a rifle without a suppressor is uncivilized.

Exactly.

Spend a morning shooting with .30 cal rifles on either side of you at the range, one with a brake and one with a suppressor. Then tell me which one you would rather shoot next to? Suppressors reduce not only the sound level, but the muzzle blast and recoil. Reducing muzzle blast and recoil almost always improves accuracy. For a home defense weapon in pistol calibers or 5.56, a suppressor is a highly worthwhile addition.

Suppressors on handguns are more of a novelty to me, because effective ones can be a bit unwieldy on centerfires. Rimfire suppressors are great on .22 handguns, though. On my wife's Ruger MK4 Lite, it actually improves the balance of the gun. They are all fun to shoot, and on those occasions where everyone present is shooting suppressed, it's extra nice.